DTS Magazine - Fall 2015

Fall 2015 | Vol. 1, No.1

DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

INSIDE:

FROM THE GARDEN TO THE GARDEN

A PLACE AT THE TABLE

WINNING THE FOOD FIGHT

FINDING WISDOM IN LATTE ART

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Napkin Theology F RO M TH E P R E SI D E N T: D R. MARK B AILEY

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n the day after my son Joshua turned sixteen, he obtained his driver’s license. That night, I thought it might be a timely moment for a father-son chat. So we went to our favorite coffee shop. I ordered a cup of coffee, and he ordered a chocolate shake.

And I pulled out a napkin.

Josh knew what was coming next. I hadn’t pulled out a napkin because I expected to spill my coffee. The napkin is an important part of Bailey family lore, and it has been an ingredient of our times together since before Josh could see over the table.

We call it “napkin theology.” Since the boys were old enough to go out alone with Dad, we have had some of the best father-son times over an early-morning breakfast or a late-night snack. And some of the greatest insights God has graciously given me were in those spontaneous times when the napkin became the substitute for a white board. During four-plus decades of teaching and parenting, some of my favorite memories have been of those teachable moments at the Iron Skillet or Cheddar’s café.

Recently, I was teaching on the book of Revelation at Bible Study Fellowship’s national leaders’ conference. We read again that oft-quoted verse in chapter 3 in which Jesus actually addresses believers, not unbelievers. He says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (3:20). He’s speaking of table fellowship—of eating together, having guests for a meal, lingering over coffee. These are signs of discipleship, of deep fellowship. And these practices are often the best way to “do theology.” It’s no accident that Paul told the church at Rome to practice hospitality (Rom 12:13), and he told Timothy that an overseer should be hospitable (1 Tim 3:2).

I love napkin theology. Throughout the ages of redemption history, God has used food and table time as deep metaphors—from the manna to our daily bread to “my body given for you.”

But when I want to impart truth, I can’t always do face time. And such a reality is nothing new. Paul wrote theology to people like the Romans he’d never met. And the elder John’s readers engaged in distance learning as they read his letters. John said, “I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete” (2 John 12). Whenever possible, he preferred in-person contact.

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At DTS we face some of the same tensions the apostles experienced.

Much is changing about how DTS fulfills its mission to “glorify God by equipping godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of his Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide.” In seeking to overcome distance, our professors Skype with students.

We’ve added online courses. And we’re building a global learning center to take theology to the most remote parts of the earth.

But we’re also taking theology to the people, opening new mobile sites in places as far north as Fargo, North Dakota, and as far away as the Australasia region (Australia/Asia). And we’re creating immersion courses in settings as diverse as Jerusalem and the Sundance Film Festival. Professors take groups of students to learn, share meals, and enter into the give-and-take of napkin theology.

We’re always exploring ways to best serve the DTS family, near and far, through the written word or in person. And this new magazine, a merging of Kindred Spirit and the alumni Connection, comes as a result of combining resources to better serve our readers.

Indeed, much is changing. But much is staying the same. For ninety years, Dallas Theological Seminary has stayed true to the beliefs of its founders, such as the authority of Scripture, God’s grace through the person of Jesus Christ, new life in the Spirit, and the imminent return of Christ that calls Christians to fulfill the Great Commission. And by God’s grace we’ll continue to do so until he comes. Maranatha!

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We’re always exploring ways to best serve the DTS family, near and far, through the written word or in person.

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Dallas Theological Seminary Our mission is to glorify God by equipping godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of his Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

DTS Magazine® Fall 2015 Vol. 1, No.1 ISSN 1092–7492

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©2015 Dallas Theological Seminary. All rights reserved.

Published three times a year by Dallas Theological Seminary 3909 Swiss Avenue Dallas, Texas 75204

The author of Ministry for Hispanic Introverts, KARLA ZAZUETA (MACL, 2014) is an architect-turned-ministry-leader serving at Stonebriar Community Church (Spanish Ministries) in Frisco, Texas. Her contribution to this issue is “From the Garden to the Garden: Tracing the Sobremesa through the Bible.” In it she writes, “From the forbidden fruit, to sacred feasts, to manna, to dietary laws. God has used food to illustrate how he corrects us, sets us apart, and redeems us.”

Mark L. Bailey, President John C. Dyer, Executive Director of Communications and Educational Technology Sandra L. Glahn, Editor-in-Chief Keith D. Yates, Director of Creative Services and Publications, Layout, and Design Debbie J. Stevenson, Production Manager Karen Grassmick, Kathy Dyer, Kelley Mathews, Emma Finley, and Linda Tomczak, Copy Editing

DR. BARRY JONES (ThM, 2002) enjoys listening to

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Radiohead, eating Thai food, drinking good coffee, and reading old books. The associate professor of Pastoral Ministries also serves as one of the preaching pastors at Irving Bible Church in Irving, Texas. Dr. Jones wrote “A Place at the Table” for this issue. You can find more of his pastoral insights on food and theology in his book, Dwell: Life with God for the World.

Cover photo by Paul Stehlik Josh Wiese, layout redesign

SUBSCRIBE Subscriptions are free of charge to addresses in the United States.

Go to dts.edu/magazine or call (800) DTS-WORD and ask for the DTS Magazine subscription office.

EMAIL Contact admissions@dts.edu for information about DTS’s graduate degree programs.

Contact sglahn@dts.edu to submit articles, request reprints, or make comments.

DONATIONS For information on how you can support the ministry of DTS, call (214) 887-5060.

ONLINE/SUBMISSIONS Visit dts.edu/magazine to download writers’ guidelines or to view DTS Magazine online.

Send email address changes to jbeck@dts.edu, or mail to DTS Magazine 3909 Swiss Ave. Dallas, Texas 75204 Unless noted otherwise, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

18 KATIE FISHER is a graphic designer and visual artist pursuing an MA in Media Arts and Worship at DTS. She works in mixed media and collage, and she and her husband grow as many plants as their apartment will hold.

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“Finding Wisdom in Latte Art” profiles K Pastore. She’s a student who works at DTS’s campus coffee shop. A fairtrade business, HOPE Coffee uses high-quality beans to support the ministry of Camino Global, an agency that ministers in Spanish-speaking contexts. The article’s author, GARLAND DUNLAP (MABS, MACE, 2014) serves as DTS’s assistant director of internships and reads voraciously on the subject of education.

MICHELLE COVINGTON (MAMC, 2015) is a writer, editor, and digital marketer who lives in Dallas, Texas.

She holds a season pass to Shakespeare in the Park and loves reading and writing dystopian fiction.

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LACEY LEIFESTE (ThM, 2015) serves as a groups minister at The Village Church, Dallas campus. She loves chasing after her nieces and nephew, the game of golf, college football, and all things pertaining to the Texas Hill Country.

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ON THE COVER Twenty-one years ago, genocide destroyed one of Rwanda’s prominent coffee plantations—Cyimbili. The violence left villagers without water, sanitation, or food, and it took six family members from Celestín Musekura (STM, 1998; PhD, 2007). Celestín went on to found African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministry (ALARM), which has built partnerships to revitalize the area. Thanks to their gospel witness there, today 170 people have work in Cyimbili’s restored hills. See www.alarm-inc.org for the whole story.

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Earliest DTS publications

1930s–’60s First Kindred Spirit, Winter 1977

1970s

1980s Alumni publications

1990s 2010s 2000s

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F R O M T H E E D I TO R

Every Meal a Eucharist S AND R A G L AHN, E D ITO R-IN-CHIEF

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elcome to the union of Kindred Spirit magazine and the alumni Connection.

Kindred Spirit began as a vision of the late John F. Walvoord, then president, and DTS’s Public Relations director James Killion.

When they published the first issue in 1977, these men had created a magazine to serve as a ministry piece for the DTS family. It has always been free, and it has never included product advertising.

sensual pleasures ranging from honey and lemonade to chili peppers. Indeed, through edible goods God continues to show his creative prowess. (He created 57,000 genes in the apple alone!)

During the 1980s and ’90s, Kindred Spirit included the Alumni News as an insert. But in 1993, the latter was spun off into a separate publication known as the Connection. When I came as editor-in-chief in 1999, we redesigned Kindred Spirit and gave it a nontraditional shape that allowed us to include more and bigger art. Our team hoped readers would leave KS on coffee tables and share used copies with friends.

The first prayer I memorized was, “God is great. God is good. Let us thank him for our food. Amen.” The second, my parents reserved for Sunday’s pot roasts and mashed potatoes: “Thank you for the world so sweet. Thank you for the food we eat. Thank you for the birds that sing. Thank you, God, for everything. Amen.”

Since the original vision, four decades and 104 issues have come and gone. Now we enter a new generation. Kindred Spirit and the Connection have again pooled resources, this time to become DTS Magazine. The amalgamation allows us to include more pages that give more people more access to the impact God is making through our faculty, graduates, and students. In the “alumni” section we have highlighted what God is doing across the world, and we encourage you to use this information to network and borrow others’ expertise. I welcome feedback at sglahn@dts.edu; please send alumni updates to alumni@dts.edu.

The union of two publications makes possible more of the Scripture-based content you have enjoyed, more campus news, and the addition of student articles and profiles. You will also find ample visual art, which reflects a distinctive emphasis at DTS—a commitment to a biblical theology of beauty.

For our inaugural issue, we’ve chosen the universal theme of food. The world started in an orchard (Gen 2:8–9), and it ends with a fruit tree (Rev 22:1–2). Food is national security, economics, employment, history, and sustenence. God’s covenants were built on it. George MacDonald observed, “With his divine alchemy, he [Christ] turns not only water into wine, but common things into radiant mysteries, yea, every meal into a Eucharist, and the jaws of death into an outgoing gate.” Through taste buds the Lord grants

At the table and in community, we learn to express gratitude. At potlucks and picnics, we build relationships. At receptions, we partake to express as a community our mourning, our appreciation, or our rejoicing. By inviting neighbors to break bread, injera, pasta, tortillas, croissants, hot cross buns, or crêpes, we build relationships through which we can expand horizons, show love, and meet needs.

Indeed, the human need for food provides believers with the opportunity to steward the earth, to pause and remember that “life is more than food” (Luke 12:23), and to minister to Christ and others. Recall Jesus’s words, “I was hungry, and you fed me” (Matt 25:35, NLT). With whom can you gather? Whom can you feed in his name and together say, “Thank you, God, for everything. Amen”?

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For our inaugural issue, we’ve chosen the universal theme of food.

The world started in an orchard, and it ends with a fruit tree.

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t seemed no one had intentions of leaving anytime soon.

The crowd that night—and, in fact, every night we traveled through France—preferred to linger after dinner. I enjoyed this style of dining—no rush, no waiter pushing us out the door, just fellowship and conversation for hours. The Spanish culture calls this time of after-dinner lingering sobremesa. Sobremesa has no precise English translation, perhaps because there is no cultural equivalent. But literally translated it means “over the table.” Sobremesa allows food to digest and provides time to establish bonds, proving true that food connects people. Summarizing this concept well, a writer for a National Geographic article, “The Joy of Food,” recently stated, “Food is more than survival. With it we make friends, court lovers, and count our blessings.” In essence, sobremesa means connection, communion, and intimacy.

God has desired a time of sobremesa with us from the beginning.

But eating the fruit in disobedience to God’s command got us into trouble. If we trace food through the Bible—from the forbidden fruit, to sacred feasts, to manna, to dietary laws, to Jesus as the “Bread of Life,” to the new fruit tree in the eternal city—we see that God uses food as object lessons to correct us, set us apart, redeem us, and promise us hope for unbroken communion, sobremesa, for eternity.

Tracing Our Sobremesa through the Bible

SIN: A BREAK IN THE SOBREMESA Imagine it: a beautiful garden, peaceful ambiance, worshipful, unfettered connection with God. The man and woman had free rein to eat from anything in the orchard, except from one tree.

Simple rule, easy life. But the first couple disobeyed, and just one bite of the forbidden fruit shattered our connection with God and one another. Eating tainted us. We became slaves— slaves to sin, and, increasingly, slaves to others. We no longer ruled. Instead, others ruled us (Gen 3:1–19).

Yet a glimmer of hope arrived, and that hope began with a meal—one of roasted lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. Through that meal God promised his people deliverance. Filled with grand meaning, this simple meal marked the beginning of two important sacred feasts, the celebration of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. With the

GOD USES FOOD AS OBJECT LESSONS TO CORRECT US, SET US APART, REDEEM US, AND PROMISE US HOPE FOR UNBROKEN COMMUNION FOR ETERNITY.

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blood of the lamb dripping down the doorposts, the Israelites ate, ready and expectant for salvation (Exod 12:1–17).

As God’s people wandered in the wilderness, every morning miracle food arrived. But it lasted only one day. Saved from Egypt, but not from the desert or from themselves, the Israelites received God’s gift of manna. White like coriander seed and tasting like wafers of honey, this bread of angels coming down from heaven was Israel’s source of life. Daily manna forced Israel to connect to God in hungry, daily dependence (Exod 16:21; Ps 78:25; 105:40).

Fast forward to the time of the Babylonian Exile. The feet of God’s people trudged far from Israel, yet the hearts of some remained close to God. “Just vegetables and water, thank you very much,” Daniel told his Babylonian commander (Dan 1:8–13). Although living in a foreign land, Daniel and his friends still desired to serve God in accordance with Mosaic Law. They hungered to honor God more than they hungered for the choice food from the king’s table. By abstaining from delicacies, Daniel and his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, strengthened their kinship to each other and their faith to God—a faith that stood even in a fiery furnace (3:8–30).

But not every Israelite shared Daniel’s faith. Some demanded signs before belief. Expecting a warrior king instead of a humble servant, they argued with Jesus, “Give us manna like that from Moses!” Despite hundreds of years of exile, strife, and then oppression from Rome, Israel lacked spiritual hunger for God. They looked only for temporary food for their stomachs, not food for their souls. But God has always prioritized spiritual belief over physical sight (Deut 8:3; John 6:30–31).

God wanted to give his people lasting food—“bread coming down from heaven”—food that eternally satisfies. But rejected by the Pharisees, Jesus, the everlasting manna, dined with tax collectors and sinners instead. These people truly knew their lowly position. Consequently, they had a hunger for more from life than shallow ritual and religion. By eating bread and drinking wine, Jesus connected with hungry souls ( John 6:33; Mark 2:13–17).

Although the people were enslaved to sin, their hope had arrived. The Savior sat, walked, and talked in their midst, but they searched with blinded eyes. The bleating cry of Passover lambs filled Jerusalem as Israel made preparations for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Thousands of years had passed since the first sacred feasts, but the true Passover Lamb sat without

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pomp with only his disciples. Jesus told them, “Take and eat; this is my body . . . Drink from it [the cup], all of you. This is my blood of the covenant” (Matt 26:26–28). They shared a final meal before the Passover sacrifice, which prefigured his own death. Consider the spiritual metaphors related to his literal body and blood: ӹӹ They crowned him with thorns.

The blood of the Lamb flowed. ӹӹ They scourged his body.

The blood of the Lamb flowed. ӹӹ They pierced his hands and feet.

The blood of the Lamb flowed. ӹӹ The sinless, unleavened Bread was broken.

The Passover Lamb’s blood was spilled.

SALVATION: SOBREMESA RENEWED God’s salvation of Israel in Egypt started with a meal—one of roasted lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. God saved the Israelites from physical death, later commemorated by a Passover lamb. On Calvary, the ultimate Passover Lamb saved all who would believe from spiritual death. In the New Covenant, Christ is the Bread of Life. With a meal, God had rescued Israel from Egypt; and with the everlasting bread, God rescued those who believe: “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

smell of grilled fish and bread greeted them along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. The Risen Lord sought to establish his disciples in right relationship with him. So after breakfast, during sobremesa, Jesus reinstated Simon Peter with a mission: to feed the Lord’s sheep with spiritual food that lasts ( John 21:9–17).

LAST THINGS: THE COMING UNBROKEN SOBREMESA Adam and Eve shattered humanity’s original sobremesa with God. From the forbidden fruit, to sacred feasts, to manna, to dietary laws, to Jesus as the “Bread of Life,” to “Take, eat; for this is my body”—God has used food as object lessons that show how he corrects us, sets us apart, and redeems us. We live in the tension of the now, but not yet, saved from our sin, but not saved from the sin of the world. We long for the new fruit tree in the eternal city, where God promises us hope for unbroken communion and intimacy—sobremesa—for eternity (Rev 22:2–4). In the new garden we will linger with him forever. But for now, we, like Peter, have a mission: feed the Lord’s sheep and enjoy the sobremesa until he comes (Matt 28:19–20).

KARLA D. ZAZUETA (MACL, 2014) is an architect who serves as a dis-

cipleship leader at Stonebriar Community Church (Spanish Ministries) in Frisco, Texas.

Jesus had conquered their sin on the cross, yet his disciples had returned to their old lives. So Christ prepared them a meal. The

THINKING THEOLOGICALLY ABOUT FASTING The Israelites abstained from certain foods according to the Mosaic Law (Lev 11). On the Day of Atonement (23:26, 29, 32) they observed the one and only commanded fast.

Daniel and his friends abstained from meat for a time in Babylon (Dan 1:8–13). Jesus fasted for forty days and nights in the wilderness (Matt 4:2). Paul and Barnabas fasted and prayed prior to appointing church elders (Acts 14:23). And Jesus stated that humans “shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4). Given the explosion of books on the topic of fasting, specifically, The Daniel Fast, let us consider these observations from God’s Word (at right).

Daniel fasted in accordance with the Old Covenant (Lev 11:44; Dan 1:8–13). Under the New Covenant, all food is considered clean (Mark 7:19; Acts 10:10–15; Rom 10:4, 14:1–23; Gal 3:24–26; Eph 2:14–15). As with all fasts except that on the Day of Atonment for Israelites, believers are encouraged to fast without being required to do so. Those who abstain from food should do so prayerfully and in accordance with God’s Word.

ӹӹFood does not defile us; our sinful hearts corrupt our bodies (Matt 15:10–11). ӹӹFasting performed in secret honors God (Matt 6:16–18). ӹӹFasting occurs out of longing for the return of Jesus (Matt 9:14–15). ӹӹFasting and prayer often occur together (Luke 2:37, 5:33; Acts 14:23). ӹӹGod condemns fasting performed only as ritual (Isa 58:1–7; Zech 7:4–7). ӹӹGod ignores and condemns fasting for false motives or as a means for attaining physical or financial blessings (1 Sam 14:24–30; Isa 58:1–7).

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A Place at the Table

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few months before we married, my wife and I purchased our first piece of furniture, a well-worn antique English pub table. We paid more for it than we could afford at the time, but it had just the right combination of refinement and scruff to suit our sense of style. And it fit nicely into our small apartment.

More than a decade later, when the time came to replace the pub table with something that better suited our growing family, we could not bring ourselves to get rid of it. After countless meals together, often shared with family and friends, that table had become an icon of God’s grace and goodness. To take up a place at that table was to occupy sacred space. The people we loved most sat with us there. Meals were shared. Stories were told. Sins were confessed.

We laughed together and cried together. Together we remembered where we’d been, and we dreamed of where we might one day go.

We prayed at that table. And there we experienced God’s nearness, God’s kindness, and God’s love.

Sharing tables is one of the most uniquely human things we do.

No other creature consumes its food at a table. And sharing tables with other people reminds us that there’s more to food than fuel.

We don’t eat only for sustenance.

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Perhaps before we invite people to Jesus or invite them to church, we should invite them to dinner.

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Tables are one of the most important places of human connection.

We’re often most fully alive to life when sharing a meal around a table. We shouldn’t be surprised, then, to find that throughout the Bible God has a way of showing up at tables. In fact, it’s worth noting that at the center of the spiritual lives of God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments, we find a table: the table of Passover and the table of Communion. New Testament scholar N. T. Wright captured something of this sentiment when he wrote, “When Jesus himself wanted to explain to his disciples what his forthcoming death was all about, he didn’t give them a theory, he gave them a meal.”

I’m convinced that one of the most important spiritual disciplines for us to recover in the kind of world in which we live is the discipline of table fellowship. In the fast-paced, tech-saturated, attention-deficit-disordered culture in which we find ourselves, Christians need to recover the art of a slow meal around a table with people we care about. “Table fellowship” doesn’t often make the list of the classical spiritual disciplines. But in the midst of a world that increasingly seems to have lost its way with regard to matters of both food and the soul, Christian spirituality has something important to say about the way that sharing tables nourishes us both physically and spiritually. We need a recovery of the spiritual significance of what we eat, where we eat, and with whom we eat.

In Matthew’s account of the Last Supper, he writes, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body’” (Matt 26:26). The same pattern of language—blessing, breaking, and giving—also shows up in the accounts of Jesus’s

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miraculous feedings, as well as in the scene in which Jesus is recognized by the disciples with whom he had walked on the road to Emmaus. In his book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eugene Peterson has observed that this pattern of being blessed, broken, and given is at the heart of the Christian story. There he rightly insists, “This is the shape of the Eucharist. This is the shape of the Gospel. This is the shape of the Christian life.”

THE TABLE AS A PLACE OF BLESSING Food is my love language. The experts who write about such things suggest that each of us has one or two primary means by which we communicate (and receive) love. Those same experts don’t typically include food on their lists of love languages, but few things bring me more pleasure than working in the kitchen to prepare a meal for people I care about. Doing so is one of the primary ways I show people that I love them.

HE COULD HAVE MADE US THE SORT OF CREATURES FOR WHOM FOOD IS MERELY FUEL. OUR 10,000 TASTE BUDS ARE A DISPLAY OF GRACE, AN EXPRESSION OF HIS LOVE.

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And I’m becoming increasingly convinced that food is one of God’s love languages. Think about it. The average human has about 10,000 taste buds. And the only explanation I can conceive for why that would be is that God loves us. Really loves us. After all, it didn’t have to be that way. God did not have to make us capable of experiencing such delight. He could have made us the sort of creatures for whom food is merely fuel. Our 10,000 taste buds are a display of grace, an expression of his love.

The table is a place to remember the blessing of God. One ancient prayer of the church (based on an even more ancient Hebrew prayer) says, “Blessed are you, O Lord God, King of the Universe, for you give us food to sustain our lives and make our hearts glad.” We need to recover the importance of gathering with people around our tables for the purpose of enjoying a meal as both a gift and means of grace. Such gatherings need not involve lavish spreads. They can, in fact, be quite simple. But they are those meals where we gather with guests and get a glimpse of the banquet of the kingdom to come, those meals where we get a little foretaste of the shalom of God. These meals are what the Celts called “thin places”—where the veil that separates heaven and earth seems exceedingly thin.

THE TABLE AS A PLACE OF BROKENNESS One of my favorite meal scenes in all of Scripture occurs on the banks of the Sea of Galilee after the resurrection of Jesus. It’s recorded in John 21. After a futile night of fishing, the disciples encounter Jesus, who calls out to them from the shore. Acting impulsively, as always, Peter dives into the water fully clothed in an effort to get to Jesus. As he emerges from the sea, dripping wet, he moves toward Jesus, who has made a fire on the beach. And at that moment he smells a hauntingly familiar smell. The word that John the storyteller uses to describe the fire that Jesus made is a word that occurs in only one other place in Scripture—earlier in his own story ( John 18:18). There the word used is of the fire where Peter and the others warmed themselves on the night of Jesus’s arrest and trial. The charcoal fire of John 18:18 was the place of Peter’s denial. For Peter, shame had a smell—that of burning charcoal. But the charcoal fire of John 21 is the place of Peter’s restoration. The simple invitation of Jesus to his friend is, “Come and have breakfast” (21:12).

The table is the place where broken sinners find connection and belonging. Despite our best intentions, we all, like Peter, stumble after Jesus. We desperately need people who will journey with us in our stumbling. We need to recover table fellowship as a spiritual discipline in order to strengthen the bonds of spiritual friendship among believers who are walking together on the road of discipleship.

THE TABLE AS A PLACE OF GIVENNESS As Christians, we are a people who are blessed, broken, and given.

This latter aspect of our identity reminds us that as God’s people, we are given to the world—called to represent him. God’s mission is to rescue and renew his good but broken creation, and we are swept up into that mission and called to participate in it by announcing and embodying the love of God in Christ.

I’m convinced that our dinner tables have the potential to be the most “missional” places in all of our lives. Perhaps before we invite people to Jesus or invite them to church, we should invite them to dinner. If table fellowship is a spiritual discipline that is vital for shaping and sustaining our life with God for the world, we need to make a point to share our tables with people who are in our lives but far from God. This was one of the most distinctive aspects of Jesus’s ministry.

By his own admission, Jesus had a reputation among the religious establishment for being “a glutton and a drunkard” (Matt 11:18–19).

One of the most distinctive things about him was that he ate and drank with “notorious sinners.” When the Pharisees called Jesus a glutton and a drunkard, they didn’t make up that depiction.

They were referring to Deuteronomy 21:20 and implying that

Jesus’s table fellowship with people who were far from God made him worthy of death. But for the Lord, that table fellowship was a demonstration of the inbreaking of the kingdom of God. As Gordon Smith suggests in his book A Holy Meal: The Lord’s Supper and the Life of the Church, “Eating was for Jesus a key means by which he proclaimed the coming of God’s reign and acted, or enacted, its arrival.” Recovering table fellowship as a spiritual discipline would mean reconnecting with this all-important aspect of Jesus’s life and ministry, and emulating him by opening our tables to people who are far from God. THE COMING FEAST When the Old Testament prophets wanted to speak of the day when God’s reign would finally come in its fullness, they depicted a great feast. The great poet/prophet Isaiah spoke of a coming day when Yahweh will prepare “a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines” (Isa 25:6).

In that day when all that is wrong is made right and all that is broken is made whole, there’s going to be one extravagant meal.

In her book Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition, theologian Christine Pohl has observed, “A shared meal is the activity most closely tied to the reality of God’s kingdom, just as it is the most basic expression of hospitality.” As we wait for the world to come and seek to navigate the complexity of the world that is, the church’s life will be nurtured and sustained as we recover the spiritual discipline of table fellowship.

DR. BARRY JONES , associate professor of Pastoral Ministries at DTS, teaches courses in preaching, evangelism, and spiritual formation.

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WINNING THE FOOD FIGHT Steve Willis’s Story

LONG BEFORE CELEBRITY CHEF Jamie Oliver arrived to film a miniseries in Huntington, West Virginia, a pastor had been praying for the community’s spiritual and physical transformation.

While hiking in California, Steve Willis (ThM, 1996) experienced difficulty breathing. “The spare tire around my waist had been developing for several years,” he recalled. Steve and his wife agreed: most everyone they saw in California was thinner than the people back home in West Virginia, where Steve served as lead pastor of First Baptist Church of Kenova, outside of Huntington.

Soon after he returned home, Steve watched as a friend died from complications of heart surgery. That friend had been 150 pounds overweight and had battled high blood pressure for years.

That’s when Steve decided to address the issue of obesity with his congregation. Though he worried about the backlash, he felt confident that getting his congregation to live healthier lifestyles was biblical. “If you are not giving God control of your body, it is impossible to fully serve him,” he said. “The elders told me I could preach on anything but gluttony. They were afraid someone would get offended if I called them ‘fat’ from the pulpit.” He wondered, “Why can we talk about all matters of sin in the church, but we don’t talk about the sin of not taking care of the temples (bodies) that God has given us?”

After two months of prayerful consideration, the elders encouraged Steve to proceed. And as he wrote his sermon, he prayed for help.

A few days before he was set to preach, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study that identified Steve’s city as America’s fattest and unhealthiest. It ranked first in the nation in adults who did not exercise, prevalence of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, circulation problems, kidney disease, vision problems, and sleeping disorders. In Steve’s church alone, 46 percent of adults were obese. The study gave Steve the evidence needed to confront the people in his care. “People were dying, and many were members of my church.”

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We cannot separate who we are physically from who we are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

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In the year that followed Steve’s sermon, the congregation lost a ton of weight—literally. Yet even after their initial success, Steve recalled, “I was praying: ‘Lord, the problem is what we eat. I need help with how to cook healthfully.’ The next thing I know, I am getting a phone call from Jamie Oliver—who knows how to cook healthfully—wanting to partner with us. When Jamie called, I knew the Lord was in what we’re doing.” A producer for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, ABC’s Emmy Award-winning show, told Steve the British celebrity wanted to come to Huntington and film a miniseries that taught people about nutrition by helping school lunch cooks prepare more healthful meals. The caller wanted Steve to serve as the local contact.

During filming, Chef Jamie did more than help the community learn about nutrition. He also helped the church raise the additional funds needed to pay for a family life center. That final step allowed First Baptist of Kenova to offer free walking and exercise classes.

Today, the church’s fellowship dinners still include mashed potatoes and gravy, but the menu also lists healthful options such as salads and fruits. Snacks prepared for preschoolers during Sunday school now consist of fresh-cut fruits—not cookies and Kool-Aid. “Our experience has taught us that many who struggle with their physical weight also struggle with emotional and spiritual issues,” Steve said. “We cannot separate who we are physically from who we are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.”

After appearing in the series, doors opened for Steve to share his message on other national TV shows such as Good Morning America, Nightline and Larry King Live. In addition to these national TV appearances, Steve has spoken to more than 500,000 people and shared the gospel in venues that he said “otherwise would have never been open to a pastor like me.”

Steve said, “The greatest thing throughout this whole process is that God took something that even our fallen culture understands is a problem. The world knows this is an issue, and they want the church to speak out on these issues of justice. I have been able to share the good news about Christ and how the Bible is relevant today to hundreds of people who would never step into a church.”

You can find links to some of the miniseries footage at www.dts.edu. Also, ask your local library to order Steve’s book, Winning the Food Fight: Victory in the Physical and Spiritual Battle for Good Food and a Healthy Lifestyle, in which he introduces readers to the stories of real people making the journey toward God-honoring transformation.

Steve Willis (right, with his daughter and a friend) serves as a lead pastor in the town once labeled as America’s fattest and unhealthiest. Today his church provides healthful food for more than a thousand kids every summer. The children’s feeding program, he says, “brings in kids from the community, and they stay after the dinner for Bible school, basketball camp, or sports camp. If parents want a meal, they are welcome to sit down and eat with us, and we are intentional about sitting down at round tables, starting up conversations, and sharing the gospel. Any church could do this.”

Photo: Megan McKenzie

PHOTO OF PARISHIONERS RUNNING THE INSIDE TRACK TAKEN AT HIS CHURCH IN WEST VIRGINIA

Take, Eat: This Is My Gluten-Free Body Three reasons are commonly given for someone refraining from taking communion. The person abstaining is not a Christian, is under church discipline, or has an unresolved disagreement with someone. People with food sensitivities and food allergies, however, can also fall into the category of those not partaking. The association between the negative reasons given and those who refrain for health reasons can unnecessarily cause painful isolation. But there are ways churches can help.

Respect boundaries. Not everyone with food allergies wants to divulge private health information. Avoid the urge to voice your opinion about the person’s health issues. If gut health and food allergies have confused doctors devoted to the topic, of course they will perplex the average person. Many theories have surfaced to explain why a growing number of people have health problems connected to eating wheat, rye, and barley (just to name a few).

But to date we have no definitive answers.

Get to know their story. Don’t assume everyone eats gluten-free simply because of the trend or because they want to lose weight.

The need for a gluten-free alternative may result from health issues.

People who must live on specific diets lack the ability to “hide” their health problems—and often have to provide an explanation at every social function that involves food, which many social functions do.

Turn the situation into an opportunity to learn about the person.

Assume that people have sound judgment about their own dietary and healthcare needs. Don’t say things like, “A small piece of bread can’t actually hurt. You’re not eating a whole sandwich.”

To care well for people with food allergies takes research, conversations, and change in preparation and administration of the elements. A simple gluten-free wafer will not solve the communion issue for all who deal with food allergies. But for many it will greatly help.

Provide alternatives. Offer gluten-free bread and gluten-free juice. Yes, grape juice and wine can contain gluten. And gluten can hide under many alternative names. Few labels say “contains gluten.” Bring those with knowledge about food allergies into all stages of communion preparation.

Announce the alternatives. To provide alternatives takes extra work—wasted effort if the information never makes it to the whole congregation. Many with gluten sensitivities will still take communion regardless of the lack of alternative bread at the table. They do so accepting that health consequences will follow.

But not all food-related health issues manifest themselves in the same symptoms or stem from identical root issues. Some people will partake in the provided alternative elements based only on an announcement that they do not contain gluten. Others will want to see the labels for themselves. And despite the offer of gluten alternatives, people with severe food allergies may still pass on communion. Assume the person has made the best choice for his or her situation and offer support.

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To celebrate the Lord’s Supper by the taking of the elements together is more important than insisting on traditional bread. Communion should serve to remind us of Jesus’s sacrifice and our union in him.

The issue of food allergies and communion can serve as a wedge— pushing some away from the body of Christ. But it can also serve as an opportunity for the church to come together in care and love for one another. Christ’s body was broken to unite his church. A relatively small number of people struggle with food allergies.

Yet, if one struggles, we all struggle. Are we not all members of the same body?

KATIE FISHER is a Media Arts and Worship student whose creations you can find at www.katiefisher.us.

Who Suffers for Our Food Choices?

Where does your food come from? The next time you sit down to a meal ask a few questions. ӹӹ What ingredients are in this food? ӹӹ How were the original ingredients altered to get to their current form? ӹӹ Who made this food? ӹӹ Did any person or animal suffer unnecessarily for the convenience I experience consuming this food?

You may not know the answers. Most of us don’t.

The Industrial Revolution brought a switch from producing one’s own food to consuming what was produced by a company. This led to a disconnect between the consumer and the food consumed.

In the Garden of Eden, it would have been impossible to ignore the life of the food consumed.

Not only did the first man and woman watch it grow, but they also worked to help it do so. Their lives were inextricably linked to the vitality of the plants and animals.

But farming is hard, and consumerism is easy.

Industrialization provided food security, and mass production continues to ensure enough food for a growing population. But convenience can lead people to turn a blind eye to abuses in the system that provides it.

In the developed world, we have ceded control of food production to what is swiftly becoming a monopolized system of a few corporations that make it difficult for small farmers to stay in business. We export production of certain foods to companies who use slave labor to provide us with the cheapest foods possible.

Do you know whose hands picked the beans that went into the coffee you drank this morning, or the chocolate with which you shower kids at harvest festivals? These products were possibly harvested by child slave labor. So the next time you purchase chocolate or coffee, check the label. If you don’t see a Fair Trade label on the packaging, don’t buy it.

sanitary conditions, no longer treated as living creatures lovingly fashioned by the Creator’s hand (Prov. 12:10). Instead, they are abused as corporations see fit.

Being aware takes effort. But as a privileged society, we have a duty to those who suffer for our convenience. As Christians, we have a biblical mandate both to treat our bodies as temples (1 Cor 6:19–20), and also to be good stewards of creation. The rules in the Law about treatment of animals (Deut. 25:4, Exod. 20:10), including their humane slaughter for sacrifice, demonstrate God’s concern to minimize their suffering.

How would the food industry change if Christians became more conscious consumers? How might the world change if we made respect for life part of our eating habits?

MICHELLE COVINGTON (MAMC, 2015) served as a media writer/photojournalist with the International Mission Board for two years in Bangalore, India.

LE AR N M O R E WEBSITE As Proverbs 12:10 reminds us, “The righteous care for the needs of their animals.” At tinyurl.com/mcovington you can find out more about fair trade animal conditions.

DOCUMENTARY The documentary Food, Inc. takes an unflattering look inside America’s corporate-controlled food industry. Although not a Christian film, it ends with a request that viewers who believe might pray about the injustices happening in that industry, both to humans and to animals.

MOVIES A film with a far different focus is Babette’s Feast. As Philip Yancey describes it in What’s So Amazing about Grace, it’s “a story of grace: a gift that costs the giver everything and the recipient nothing.”

And a film that connects food with reconciliation is The Hundred-Foot Journey.

Unfortunately, humans aren’t the only ones suffering from industrialization of food production. Animals are held in deplorable, un-

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KYLEE PASTORE: FINDING WISDOM IN LATTE ART When it comes to food, DTS student Kylee “K” Pastore is a study in contrasts.

“I think my learning style is food. When I’m eating, I understand things so much better. I carry food around with me all the time,” she jokes. Her diet is serious, though. She follows an anti-inflammatory regimen because to do otherwise brings severe physical and mental consequences. “I’m still kind of exploring [my diet], because I like food a lot,” she said.

K explores food even in the way she serves coffee.

For her, doing so is not about producing a good product; it’s about creating an experience. “You’re not just getting something that tastes good and will get you through the afternoon,” she said.

“We’re about more than that.” Her team at HOPE Coffee, DTS’s café, spent significant time this summer creating a likeable but distinguishable espresso blend tailored specifically for DTS coffee and espresso drinkers. The team is doing more than creating a coffee and espresso blend, though.

“I understand food as a practical art, like fashion design or home decor,” she said. As with all art, K presents a simple but profound concept when she creates those little designs and swirls on the top of a latte: “God is involved in menial things.

[Latte art] is such a passing moment—there’s all this prep going into this small moment—one of the things that has been valuable in my life is knowing that God is present and involved in me as I’m folding my laundry. He’s sculpting me through how I clean the bathroom. I think that’s represented in latte art, because it’s that quick moment, but there’s a hand involved in creating this specifically for me.”

Christianity Today blogger Ed Stetzer recently featured a guest post by K on art, Scripture, and the hermeneutic of patience. You can go to tinyurl. com/kpastore to access it.

GARLAND DUNLAP (MABS, 2014; MACE, 2014 is assistant director of internships at DTS and reads voraciously about education.

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Hungry Appetites and Holy Affections People with eating disorders, disordered eating patterns, and body image struggles fill our churches. And what are we telling them? What are we not telling them? Or, even the better question might be, are we telling these people anything?

In December of 2002, I was hospitalized for an eating disorder, depression, and anxiety. Three months later, I left the hospital AMA (against medical advice) tired of bed checks, knitting circles, counseling sessions, doctors appointments, and Ensure smoothies. And twelve years later, I no longer cry over eating a banana or feel the urge to run ten miles to work off a piece of grilled chicken.

Even after receiving inpatient and outpatient treatment, I believed the lie that if I tried harder, I wouldn’t struggle anymore—that if I could just white-knuckle my cravings, I would turn to Jesus rather than to the Jif crunchy peanut butter.

And I couldn’t have been more wrong. My long-time struggle with addiction has manifested itself in fear, anxiety, depression, anger, and various behavior modifications for more than a decade in my life. As an addict, I tried to deal with the distress of my life with the same thing that caused the distress. For years, I have run (yes, literally and metaphorically) to behavior modifications.

I now know that I can’t fix myself. My efforts have failed me every single time.

The Lord has exposed what I’ve tried to hide and healed what I’ve tried to deny.

And when I start to drift, the Holy Spirit guides me, and fellow believers encourage me in the gospel. So here’s to an absence of calorie-counting and an acknowledgment of Christ’s beauty in the gospel. May we enjoy our chocolate cupcakes, our creamy Alfredo, and our captivating Jesus in freedom, joy, and dependence. The Lord has and is making all things—even eating—new.

Rather than a list of what not to eat and why, here’s a list of what to believe and why:

SOURCE: Food is not the problem. The problem is sin. The problem is the heart.

To solve the problem, then, does not simply involve meal plans and calorie-counting, but rather a transformation of the heart by the power of the gospel (Ps 107:17–21) .

SOLUTION: Stop trying so hard. Start believing more. Freedom cannot be attained apart from the gospel. Replace the legalistic approach of rigid rule-following with daily submitting to the Lord, walking by the Spirit, and trusting in the saving work of Christ (Gal 5:16–18).

“I understand food as a practical art.”

SECRETS: Expose the struggle. Engage in community. The Lord does a work of healing when we stop hiding and expose our struggles and our shame. True change happens in the context of community (1 Jn 1:5–10).

SATISFACTION: Jesus is always better. The gospel always applies. Whatever masters us, we will make much of in our lives. The gospel transforms and is redeeming everything, even food (Phil 3:7–11).

Bon appétit to our hungry appetites and holy affections.

Additional recommended resources include Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food by Lysa TerKeurst and Love to Eat, Hate to Eat: Breaking the Bondage of Destructive Eating Habits by Elyse Fitzpatrick.

LACEY LEIFESTE (ThM, 2015) serves as a groups minister at The Village

Church’s Dallas campus.

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CAMPUS NEWS New Degrees for Business Leaders and Educators 36-HOUR MASTER OF BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL STUDIES “Over the past few years, we’ve noticed an increase in students who are serving the Lord as doctors, lawyers, teachers, and parents,” said Mark Yarbrough, dean of Academic Affairs. “These people aren’t planning to make vocations of full-time ministry, but they have been telling us that they need a shorter master’s degree program—one that gives them the big picture of the biblical story and lets them customize their coursework to help them live out the gospel wherever God has them.”

The result: DTS’s Master of Biblical and Theological Studies (MBTS), a 36-hour degree program designed for people in a variety of vocations who want to minister more effectively in the local church, at home, or in the workforce. The program can be completed entirely online or at any of DTS’s twelve extension and mobile sites. Go to www.dts.edu/mbts for more information.

60-HOUR ACADEMIC MASTER OF ARTS For those looking to go into full-time ministry, DTS offers the flagship Master of Theology (ThM) and five professional Master of Arts degrees. But many educators have been wanting a Master of Arts degree designed to give specialized training for the academic environment.

So DTS has created the new Academic Master of Arts, which meets this need with three majors: New Testament Studies, Old Testament Studies, and Theological Studies.

This new program is designed for those who desire to supplement previous seminary education with discipline-specific training, those who are engaged in academic public square discussions, and those planning to pursue doctoral work at non-evangelical seminaries and universities in the US or abroad.

Applicants will need to demonstrate significant Bible and theology competency, and they will qualify to enter DTS’s accelerated Bible and theology curriculum, which includes seminar-style classes that build community and allow students to delve deeply into academic issues.

DTS Expands, Houston Moves A growing number of DTS students now attend classes in various locations. And several Dallas-area churches host courses on their campuses. The seminary also has extensions in Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Knoxville, Tennessee; Tampa, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; and Washington, DC. Additionally DTS offers the MACL at mobile sites in the Aus-

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tralasia region (Australia/Asia); Colorado Springs, Colorado; Fargo, North Dakota; Nashville, Tennessee; New York, New York; Rogers, Arkansas; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The growth of Houston’s campus has led to a good problem— too little space. So this summer DTS-Houston moved to new digs across the street from their previous location.

DTS-Houston offers masters degrees in Theology (ThM), Biblical Counseling (MABC), Christian Leadership (MACL), Christian Education (MACE), Cross-cultural Ministries (MACM), Christian Studies (MACS), and Biblical and Theological Studies (MBTS). It also offers a Certificate of Graduate Studies (CGS), programs in Chinese, and the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree.

Meet the New Faculty DR. ALEX GONZALES Assistant Professor of Bible Exposition–Houston

DR. JONATHAN MURPHY Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministries

MR. NATE MCKANNA Director of Admissions

Dr. Gonzalez has spent twenty years teaching English in London, Guadalajara, Cochabamba (Bolivia), Tokyo, and Tainan (Taiwan). The former Dallas Baptist University teacher earned his BA at UCLA, his ThM at Western Seminary, and his PhD in Biblical Studies at DTS. Alex enjoys reading and writing. A former member of the UCLA track team and former school record holder (1,500 meter event), he also loves to run.

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Jonathan spent his youth as a “missionary kid” in the Canary Islands.

He holds an MA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, along with a ThM and PhD in Biblical Studies from DTS. After serving as a pastor in Northern Ireland, he joined Sacra Script—a ministry that produces Christ-centered Bible studies. He cheers for Ulster and Ireland in rugby, and Spain in football. And he especially loves books that relate to the Second World War.

Nate McKanna has been promoted to director of Admissions.

Nate earned his BA at Appalachian Bible College, and his ThM at DTS. He has spent the past four years working in the Admissions department.

He loves hanging out with his wife and two kids, watching and playing sports, and cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes. He also confesses to loving reruns of the television show Frasier.

CHAPELS DTS invites speakers from across the world to minister to students, faculty, staff, and friends. Throughout the fall semester, chapel is held every Tuesday through Friday from 10:40 AM to 11:15 AM in Lamb Auditorium.

Recordings are available online unless restrictions apply to the speaker(s) or content.

ARTS WEEK

October 20–23 Dr. Esther Meek Professor of Philosophy Geneva College

NEW ON VIDEO Student spotlight: Urologist Dr. Frank Glover (MABS, 2010), a ThM student, shares his desire to show Christ’s love in Liberia.

Alumni spotlight: Three professional counselors talk about their work with clients struggling with food and other addictions. www.dts.edu/media

THE TABLE PODCASTS MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM

RECENT TOPICS

LECTURESHIP

A Biblical Theology of Cinema Dr. Robert K. Johnston Inspiration of Scripture Drs. Andreas J. Köstenberger, Darrell L. Bock, and Michael J. Kruger Technology: Progress and Pitfalls Dr. Gerry Breshears Christian View of Singleness Kari Stainback and Dr. Abe Kuruvilla

October 27–30, 2015 Dr. Scott Cunningham VP, International Partnerships Overseas Council SEMINARY PREVIEW DAY

November 13 December 8 Dr. Charles Swindoll Chancellor www.dts.edu/chapel

UPCOMING TOPICS

Evangelicalism in America Dr. Ed Stetzer Christianity as a Cultural Minority Dr. John Dickson Theology of Work Dr. Greg Forester Family Life: Stepfamilies Ron Deal War, Peace, and the Middle East Drs. Andy Seidel and Imad N. Shehadeh Mixed Ministry: Brothers and Sisters in Christ Dr. Sue Edwards Messianism and Messianic Jews Vladimir Pikman www.dts.edu/thetable

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Brian Frost (MABS, 2001), an evangelist with Share the Gospel Ministries, has taken his “Is There A God?” survey across America, talking to college students and sharing the good news of Christ. Brian has spoken with several thousand people, about half of whom tell him they are unsure of their beliefs. About 25% of the time he has the opportunity to share the gospel.

8 1 The husband-wife team of Haley and Inhwan Lee celebrated receiving dual ThM degrees in May.

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2 Nearly 40 DTS students spent three weeks in Israel and Jordan for the annual Study Program. DTS professors Stephen Bramer and Abe Kuruvilla (shown floating in the Mediterranean Sea) accompanied them.

3 Women students braved the cold to attend their 2015 retreat, the theme of which was SHINE: Be a World Changer.

4 Dr. Glenn Kreider took students to the South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Music Festival in Austin, Texas, as part of an immersion course exploring a music/theology link.

5 Alumna Nika Spaulding in Athens, Greece, holds a creditcard-sized twelfth-century Byzantine Bible she’s preparing for digital preservation.

6 The visitors’ bureau placed big blue “Bs” and “Gs” all over Dallas, including at DTS, and asked people to put themselves in the middle to spell BIG (as in “Big D”).

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7 Members of DTS’s inaugural immersion course in Medieval Art and Spirituality bid arrivederci to Orvieto, Italy.

8 Todd Agnew, ThM student and the voice behind “Grace Like Rain” and “My Jesus,” led a praise chapel this spring.

9 Chaplain Bill’s ragtime band has a standing gig at the annual barbecue, held on the eve of graduation.

10 DTS prof Gary Barnes earned two medals in the USA Cycling Texas State Championships—silver for “Individual Time Trial 60+” and gold for “Team Time Trial 60+.”

11 A special ceremony recognized Houston-campus grads and honored director Dr. Ken Hanna on his retirement.

12 Chancellor Charles Swindoll embraces Chaplain Bill Bryan at Chaplain Bill’s last commencement before retiring.

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A LU M N I C O N N E C T I O N In Memory Dick Woodward (class of 1955) went to the everlasting arms of God on March 8, 2014. He influenced many as a pastor, teacher, mentor, writer, and family man. Even after a debilitating illness, he continued to pastor Williamsburg Community Chapel in Williamsburg, VA. Since 1996, Dick had served as pastor emeritus there.

Charles E. Piepgrass (ThM, 1949; ThD, 1968) passed away on February 15, 2015, after a long illness.

Charles had been an assistant pastor before serving with UFM/ Crossworld for forty-one years.

Upon retirement, Charles taught Bible classes at a retirement community in Lancaster, PA. Glen D. Hunt (ThM, 1956) died on May 5, 2015. Glen served as an assistant pastor at First Baptist Church of Allegan, MI, before becoming a missionary with the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism in the Philippines. In his later years especially, Glen was known for being a thankful, gentle man of prayer.

died May 23, 2015. Robert served in the Navy during WWII and was a teacher in the Birmingham school system in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Robert was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jean.

Harry A. Hoffner (ThM, 1960) passed away suddenly on March 10, 2015. Throughout his life, teaching at esteemed institutions such as Wheaton College and Yale, Dr. Hoffner had a profound influence on the faith and spiritual growth of many people.

Richard R. Benedict (ThM, 1966) went home to be with the Lord on May 26, 2015. Following service in the US Army and graduation from DTS, Richard devoted his life to church planting and pastoring.

Cyril J. Barber (ThM, 1967) passed away on April 12, 2015. Cyril grew up in South Africa and moved to the USA to study at DTS. Whether as a pastor, professor, Sunday school teacher, or home Bible study leader, Cyril had a passion for sharing God’s Word.

“One of my fondest memories of my DTS days was the privilege of learning from Dr. Robert P. Lightner as I chauffeured him from the airport in Houston to the DTS-Houston campus every Monday during the spring semester of 2011. (He taught my soteriology class.) Those trips back and forth from the airport to the school provided me time to explore Dr. Lightner’s ministry experiences. I am a better preacher and pastor because of the wisdom he provided me by sharing his victories as well as his scars regarding church, loving people, and ministry.

I am eternally grateful for those ‘Paul and Timothy’ interactions between us because they were real conversations dealing with real ministry issues.”

Chad Rankin (MACE, 2011)

Robert L. Francis (ThM, 1957)

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Dale R. Haskins (class of 1966) died on March 1, 2015. After retiring from the Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve in California, Dale served as a missionary with Wycliffe in Papua New Guinea and Kenya.

The Lord took Chaplain (ret.

Lt. Col.) Stanley Giles (ThM, 1985) home on June 12, 2015.

Stan was founding pastor of Sugarland Bible Church in Texas. He served twenty-six years in the Air Force, most recently with the Air National Guard Training and Education Center. He had completed four deployments: in Iraq, Afghanistan, Antarctica, and Dover Air Force Base. On the DTS website you can read a profile about his ministry in the remotest part of the earth as he served at McMurdo Station support base on the New Zealand side of Antarctica.

James Kwah (STM, 2002) of Fort Worth, TX, passed away on July 4, 2015. He was serving as a DTS graduate teaching assistant at the time of his death. He had suffered with lung cancer that spread to his brain. James was a minister, deacon, and Sunday school teacher at Southwayside Baptist Church, and he taught theology at Southern Bible Institute. He leaves behind his wife of seven years and their six-year-old son.

Updates: 1950s This spring www.charismanews. com ran a feature story highlighting a new book by Dr. Elmer L. Towns (ThM, 1958), The Ten Most Influential Churches of the Past Century: How They Impact You Today.

Dr. Towns is cofounder of Liberty University, which The Washington Post has described as “the largest private, nonprofit university in the world.” Towns is also dean emeritus at Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary. The article summarized ten trends within Christendom that Towns identified, the sixth of which was a shift from preaching devotional, motivational message to Bible-focused exposition—a shift Towns credited to C. I. Scofield, an influential voice in the early days

of Dallas Theological Seminary.

DTS Chancellor Dr. Charles Swindoll (CTh, 1963) and Dr. Haddon Robinson (ThM, 1955) were named among the top 100 Christian Leaders in America by Newsmax.com.

1960s Cary Perdue (ThM, 1962), a retired pastor, served as president of Asian Theological Seminary in the Philippines. He has just finished his twenty-fifth year with SEND International, which mobilizes missionaries to engage people with the gospel and establish reproducing churches.

Ninety-three-year-old Dr. C. Daniel Kim (PhD, 1963) was born in North Korea. He helped to plant Lynchburg, VA’s, Korean Baptist Church thirty-five years ago. Currently serving as director of the Korean Language Assistance Program at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, he has helped educate more than 1,500 Korean students.

Donald Knapp (ThM, 1965) writes and creates graphics about Bible books, biblical topics, the person and work of Christ, and world religions.

Back in 1964, Jim Walters (ThM, 1966) exchanged vows with his wife, Lynda. Thirteen years later, Lynda was diagnosed with a disease later identified as multiple sclerosis. It slowly took control of every function of her body. In January 2012, after thirty-five years of fighting MS, Lynda passed away. Now a film version of their story of sacrificial love, Loving Lynda, is in production. The director said, “In our search for great stories that entertain, edify, and inspire on the big screen, we believe telling the love story of Jim and Lynda will positively contribute to society’s discussion of what marriage means.”

1970s Walter Stuart (ThM, 1970) serves with Crossworld in France, where Islam is the second-most widely

practiced religion—behind Roman Catholicism. With an estimated total of 5 to 10 percent of the national population, France has the largest number of Muslims in Western Europe. Stuart ministers to refugees from mostly nonChristian backgrounds—a work that involves the holistic approach of (1) building genuine friendships, (2) sharing meals, (3) helping people adjust, (4) meeting practical needs, and (5) telling the good news of Jesus.

Dr. Steve Euler (ThM, 1971) retired from his position as senior pastor at Grace Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN, after thirty-seven years.

Learning from the example of the church of his boyhood, which, with no succession plan, devolved from a thriving ministry to a parking lot, Euler plans to remain and help Grace execute its long-term plan and help establish his replacement.

“I want the ministry to finish strong,” he told the Times Free Press.

Oregon-based Ben Bakker (MABS, 1978) says the doors have opened for the Men’s Only ministry on which he is working. He has been speaking in churches about hearing from God.

1980s A missionary with Africa Inland Mission, Ken Hall (class of 1980) spent years ministering in Tanzania and Kenya. Three years ago, he moved to Montana, where he began to disciple Africans locally.

Ken writes, “I also got into online teaching, which has led into serving with iTEE Global. I’m excited to be training African leaders through Internet theological extension combined with faceto-face instruction.”

The News & Advance in Lynchburg, VA, profiled Dr. Randall Price (ThM, 1981), the curator and director of Liberty Biblical Museum, the new Bible museum at Liberty University. The artifacts from Price’s collection (mostly his) came from auction houses, antique shops, ex-museum collections, and private individuals. They include such items as an original Torah scroll, thirty pieces of silver, whip pieces, and dice like the ones the Roman soldiers rolled at the foot of the cross. For a decade, Price directed excavations at Qumran, the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and he is publishing what his team found.

He is planning his ninety-seventh trip to the Holy Land.

Bob Boyd (ThM, 1983), who is president and international evangelist and teacher at New Fire for Christ, was a guest on the TBN network, speaking on giving. His work involves taking Kenyans through an overview of the Bible in four terms and preparing nationals to be missionaries to people groups that include Somalis. Bob’s ministry has reached about 80,000 students with Bible teaching.

Dr. Neil Damgaard (ThM, 1983; DMin, 2008) lectured at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth on “What Is Evangelical Christianity?” Neil serves as the part-time Protestant chaplain there and works alongside two Catholic priests, a rabbi, a Hindu swami, and a Muslim imam.

Serving with Crossworld in France, James Munn (STM, 1983) works in Grenoble and the Rhone-Alpes region. This year he is teaching his Life of Christ course in a church in the Savoy region.

Killing Christians: Living the Faith Where It’s Not Safe to Believe author Tom Doyle (MABS, 1983), vice president and Middle East director at E3Partners, appeared on Fox News to discuss his new book.

The depth of oppression Jesus-followers suffer is unimaginable to most Western Christians, he said. Yet, oppression is an everyday reality for those who choose faith over survival in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Egypt, and other countries hostile to the gospel. In his book Doyle takes readers to the secret meetings, the torture rooms, the grim prisons, and even the executions that are the “calling” of countless Muslims-turned-Christians. The survivors tell those of us “on the outside” what Christ has taught them.

Kurt Nelson (ThM, 1984), president and CEO of East-West Ministries International, has taken short-term teams to Cuba for many years. He wrote his dissertation on the church in Cuba, and recently coauthored an article titled “A Church Planting Movement in Cuba,” published in Mission Frontiers. At www.missionfrontiers.com you can read it.

Dr. Robert N. Wilkin (ThM, 1982; PhD, 1985) recently published A Gospel of Doubt: The Legacy of John MacArthur’s The Gospel According to Jesus (Grace Evangelical Society).

A LU M N I P R O F I L E

CAPT. JUSTIN ROBERTS

// MABS, 2007; MAMC, 2007

It bothers former US Army Chaplain (Capt.) Justin Roberts that the suicide rate among veterans is twenty-two per day.

So he created the Welcome Home Campaign, a national effort for connecting veterans with social and spiritual resources in their local communities. Having served as coexecutive producer of the film The Hornet’s Nest, Justin is working on a new film, No Greater Love, as part of the campaign. Justin writes, “We cannot control the final outcome of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars. But together we can determine how people receive our returning veterans.” Listen to the show Justin recorded with Dr. Darrell Bock on the Table Podcast last November about how each of us can minister to soldiers in transition (www.dts.edu/thetable).

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A LU M N I C O N N E C T I O N Don Eenigenburg (ThM, 1985), director at Christar, is among more than eighteen DTS alumni who serve with Christar across the world. Don is transitioning back to the US after spending five years in India. In April, he and his wife met with DTS professor Dr. Lanier Burns (ThM, 1972; ThD, 1979) and his wife, Kathy. Dr. Burns was teaching at the Asian Christian Academy in Bangalore.

Bruce Miller (ThM, 1986) recently published The Big God in a Chaotic World (Wisdom series).

Rick Stinton (ThM, 1986; DMin, 1995) recently published 40 Days of God’s Kingdom and 40 Days of God’s Kingdom Study Guide.

continued

bullet only brushed his bone. He says, “I was just doing my job. I’m glad to be alive.”

Africa and twice in the Middle East.

It reaches into every one of the twenty-two Arab countries.

Dr. David Naugle (ThM, 1979; ThD, 1987) whose Worldview: The History of a Concept won the 2003 Christianity Today Book of the Year in theology and ethics, recently celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary with Dallas Baptist University. The distinguished university professor and professor of philosophy created DBU’s philosophy major and served as its director.

The Box: Answering the Faith of Unbelief (Pilgrim’s Rock Press and bible.org), by Dr. Craig Biehl (ThM, 1993), received Christian Review Magazine’s highest honor. He argues that one must know everything about the universe and beyond to justly claim that God does not exist, that human experience and knowledge can’t be the final authority of what God can be or do in His universe, that miracles are reasonable and logical, and that one must first prove that the God of infinite power does not exist before one can prove that the miracles of Scripture are impossible.

Rev. Samuel E. Chiang (MABS, 1989) has been named CEO of The Seed Company, a Bible translation organization. Chiang was born in Taiwan and grew up in Canada. He previously worked at Ernst & Young and for Trans World Radio as COO. He served the church in China and has written extensively on China.

Currently, he serves as Lausanne’s senior associate for orality.

1990s (Above) Dr. Imad Shehadeh (ThM, 1986; ThD, 1990) reports that Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary ( JETS) hosted for the first time almost all of the approximately twenty theological schools and programs functioning in the Arab World. Twenty years ago, not even one-third of these existed. Someone who attended commented, “There has not been so much theological education in the Middle East since the fourth century AD!” The lone injury from an attempted terrorist attack outside a Garland, TX, events center in early May happened to 58-year-old Bruce Joiner (MABS, 1986). The Dallas Morning News reported that he was one of forty security officers hired to protect a Muhammed cartoon contest. Joiner was shot in the ankle by a terrorist’s assault rifle.

Joiner said he was unarmed when he “walked up to a suspicious car and two men got out and started firing.” Joiner “felt a sting” and didn’t realize he had been shot.

Inside his hospital room, he worried he would lose his leg and be unable to walk his daughter down the aisle in two months. But the

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Serving with Christian Missions in Many Lands, Matthew Glock (ThM, 1991) is in Meylan, France. He rejoices that churches in France are energized to make disciples.

Mike Gendron (MABS, 1992) serves as director and founder of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministry.

His book, Preparing for Eternity: Should We Trust God’s Word or Religious Traditions? was published by Northampton Press. He writes, “We have also been fortunate to have more than one million tracts in circulation throughout the world in five languages.”

Dr. Nabeeh N. Abbassi (ThM, 1993; DMin, 2002), former provost and professor at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary, and pastor of West Amman Baptist Church, is the founder and general director of the Arab Center for Consulting and Training Services (ACCTS). ACCTS is an officially recognized nongovernment agency that supports organizations such as Arab Women Today (AWT) to provide relief to refugees and others who are needy.

AWT produces fifty-two radio programs annually, created at a studio in Jordan and broadcast four times a week, twice in North

A 1996 ThM grad and current PhD student, (name withheld), having sold all the possessions he couldn’t carry on his back, became principal of and teacher at the Kathmandu Institute of Theology (KIT). He was in Nepal when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck forty-eight miles northwest of Kathmandu.

He continues to minister there to people like his friend who lost five family members when his house collapsed, and another who told of a Christian school receiving severe damage and a Christian camp hosting three hundred stranded people.

Michael Sprague (DMin, 1997) who formerly served as the evangelism/discipleship pastor at Forcey Bible Church in Silver Spring, MD, returned to speak at their missions conference. Michael also spoke at a retreat hosted by Officers Christian Fellowship. He serves as president of the Leadership St. Tammany Alumni Foundation—an organization focused on community leadership development.

Following his first graduation from DTS, Gary Roe (MABS, 1987; ThM, 1998) spent seven years doing mission work in Japan. He returned to Dallas to get a second master’s degree, followed by an eight-year pastorate in Sherman, TX. Eventually he became a hospice chaplain in College Station, TX. “I had gone into ministry to specialize in grief, loss, and trauma,” he told the Wichita Falls Times Record News. “When

I was 16, my dad died suddenly,” Roe explained. “I wanted to spend my life serving and helping hurting people.” Recently Roe released a new book, Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse (Amazon CreateSpace).

Melinda Means (MACE, 1999), a church planter with Christian Associates in Germany, directed a children’s Easter Club. She writes, “While a few children may attend a church with their families, many do not. In Germany, the schools offer religion class and most students take part in this class, even if they do not attend a church.”

2000s Dr. Milad Dagher (ThM, 2000), pastor/church planter and director of the Christian Alliance Institute and Theological School in Lebanon, trains pastors and plants churches in the Arab world. He says, “The chaos created by war has opened unprecedented opportunities for thousands of displaced people from Syria and Iraq to be reached with the gospel.” Churches have helped thousands of refugee families, showing the love of Christ.

A church in Syria that averaged an attendance about 200 has now reached 500. Many others have experienced unprecedented growth.

(Above) Octavio Esqueda (MACE, 2000) and his wife, Angelica, (MABS, 2000; MACE, 2002) moved to La Mirada, CA, after living in Texas for thirteen years. Octavio, who was a seminary professor for more than seven years, now serves as associate professor in the doctoral programs in educational studies at the Talbot School of Theology of Biola University. Octavio often writes theology articles in Spanish, but you can follow him on Twitter in English: @Octavio Esqueda.

Clive S. Chin (PhD, 2002) serves as associate professor of theological and intercultural studies and academic dean of the

tor at Frisco Bible Church and as an adjunct professor at Point University in Birmingham, AL.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT: Football player and ESPN college football analyst Tim Tebow is the brother of DTS alumna Christy Tebow Allen (ThM, 2004). Christy and her DTS-grad husband, Joey Allen (ThM, 2007)— author of the Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers children’s book series— serve in Southeast Asia.

2010s School of Theology English at Singapore Bible College (SBC).

SBC has students from more than twenty-six nations, many of whom he mentors. Clive writes, “I am indebted to Drs. Lanier Burns, Craig Blaising, Stephen Spencer, John Hannah, and Harold Hoehner for their investments in this student.”

Lloyd Chinn (ThM, 2002) is international ministries director for Africa at WorldVenture. He celebrates that five new families have joined WorldVenture’s work in ministry in Africa. This year the organization is especially focused on reaching a number of people groups: the Kagoro in Mali, the Wasulu in Guinea, the Makua in Mozambique, and the Akyode in Ghana.

Craig Thompson (ThM, 2002) has been in Manila for more than six months to teach at the International Graduate School of Leadership (IGSL). One of his favorite parts of ministry in the Philippines—where only 1.8% of the population are evangelicals—is getting to know and interact with the students.

Keith Frank (MABS, 2002) is CEO and cofounder of Proven Learning in Nicholasville, KY. As a regional reseller and provider of educational technology products, he interacts with educators and administrators on a daily basis. Keith is one of the few DTS alumni who actually saw a longhorn trotting across campus when he was a student living in Dallas. A truck had overturned at the curve on US175 coming into town, and the animals were roaming around downtown.

Ben Simpson (ThM, 2003; PhD, 2011) recently published an electronic resource for language

work titled Translating Ephesians: Clause by Clause: An Exegetical Guide. The work is available at amazon.com.

Colby Torres (ThM, 2004) was commissioned in the US Navy as Lieutenant Jr. Grade. Presiding over the commissioning was Lieutenant Commander Matt Berrens (ThM, 2000, pictured above). Berrens, a chaplain with Marine Aircraft Group-Afghanistan, travels to different combat outposts and forward operating bases to provide spiritual guidance for service members. With so many soldiers returning home, he reminds readers that “some studies suggest that relationship stress and negative family function may reach a peak between four to nine months after the service member’s return.”

Serving as East African operations director at Campus Ministry Toolbox, John Allert (MACE, 2005) rejoices that he has been able to engage more than 500 Kenyans in only seven months. The organization helps train, equip, and resource those involved in campus ministry. At www.campusminis trytoolbox.org you can read numerous archived articles John has written, including “50 Ideas to Do with Your Disciple.”

Grace Baptist Church of Chattanooga, TN, hired Dr. Benjamin T. Graham (MACE, 2007) as its senior pastor. Chattanoogan.com reported that the church’s chairman of the board said of Graham, “His expository teaching and practical messages have challenged my heart.” The paper also reported that Graham’s wife, Dr. Judith Graham (MACE, 2007; DMin, 2013) served as a women’s ministry direc-

(Above) Michelle Jones Pokorny (left, MACE, 2008; DMin student) and Eva Bleeker (right, MACE, 2008; MAMC, 2008) knew only one soul who lived in Italy—alumna Sarah Strand (MABS, 2005), who serves with Cru in Florence. While passing through Milan during their DTS immersion course in Italy, guess who Eva and Michelle ran into on the street? Sarah had gone to Milan for the day with a friend who was visiting the country.

Working with BEE World to provide seminary-level biblical training to pastors and church leaders who otherwise have no access to biblical education, Robert Lowe (MABS, 2009) and his team traveled to three countries in May to facilitate studies in Mark’s Gospel. The missions curriculum Rob has been writing is nearing completion.

Kristine Sung (MABC, 2009) is a licensed professional counselor with Heritage Counseling & Consulting, P.A., in Dallas. Through counseling, coaching, speaking, and writing, Kristine equips singles to improve their dating lives. On her blog, “Change Your Relationship Status,” she recently posted “Christian Dating Myths: ‘Just Wait for God’s Timing.’”

When missionary nurse Nancy Writebol contracted Ebola in Liberia, DTS graduate Chris Simpson (MACE, 2010) flew one of her evacuation planes. Chris serves in Liberia with Samaritan’s Purse (SP) using a Cessna Caravan to meet the relief and development needs of SP. In addition to flight responsibilities, he taught a systematic theology class to twenty-five Liberian pastors. Chris writes, “We have used the aircraft to move literally tons of supplies used to combat Ebola. We have also moved medical personnel from many different agencies including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). As we share the motivation for why we do what we do, may the hope of the gospel have its effect and draw many of these philanthropists to salvation.”

Matthew Williams (MABC, 2011) serves in the Democratic Republic of Congo and post-conflict northern Uganda as director of operations for Exile International (EI).

EI focuses on the world’s 300,000 child soldiers and children orphaned by war. Matthew writes of children as young as seven years old forced to become victims and

ON THE WEB Go to www.dts.edu/alumni for more updates, photos of people who have dropped by the Dallas campus, baby announcements, and memorials. Alumni, what are you doing and learning that might encourage others? Write to alumni@dts.edu to share it with us.

And go to alumni.dts.edu to connect with each other.

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A LU M N I C O N N E C T I O N perpetrators of violence—murder, rape, torture, and all forms of abuses. Matthew is married to the organization’s founder, Bethany Haley Williams, author of The Color of Grace, which he encourages his DTS friends to read.

Rick Meyer (MACL, 2013) ran the Boston Marathon—for the second time—finishing in the top 1% of his age category with an average of six-and-a-half-minute miles. The rainy conditions had dropped his body temperature to 91.5 degrees, but he was determined to finish the race. When asked, “What do you think about while you run?”

Rick said, “All thoughts are founded in John 15:5, ‘I am the vine, you

continued

are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.’”

Luke Perkins (ThM , 2013) is preparing to move his family to Port-auPrince, Haiti, to serve with Crossworld. Luke recently reviewed the book Toxic Charity on his blog. He wrote, “This is a great book for those who are involved in some sort of compassionate ministry— especially for those who have never really thought critically about their work. It’s also great for those who want to ensure their charitable giving is effective.” Go to perkinsin haiti.com/book-review-toxiccharity to read it.

Brandon Slay (CBTS, 2014) has joined the US Wrestling Foundation (USWF) as a board member. “[Brandon’s] role as National Freestyle Development Coach for the national team at USA Wrestling gives us the voice of the wrestler at the highest level,” Jeff Waters, Chairman of the USWF, told TEAM USA News. “Attracting, retaining and training our best athletes is the critical path to the U.S. winning more medals at the Olympics. Brandon is uniquely qualified to help us reach the next generation of wrestlers.” Brandon was an Olympic champion from the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia, as well as a twotime NCAA finalist.

Spencer Arnold (MACE, 2014) placed second at the 2014 National University Championships and the 2014 USA Weightlifting National Championships. You can view his page on the US Olympic team’s website (www.teamusa.org) and go to www.dts.edu/arnold to read his profile.

INTRODUCING THE

Are you already a business professional, but desire to become a better Bible student? The new MBTS degree is designed for you. You’ll overview the entire Bible story and have twelve hours of electives you can customize to enhance your service as a doctor, lawyer, legislator, parent. www.dts.edu/mbts

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CAMPUS NEWS

WHY IS THIS BUILDING BEING DEMOLISHED? DTS alumni may remember the Woodstone apartment building on Dallas’s Haskell Avenue. It was a neighbor to DTS for many decades. As long ago as the early 1980s, when a then-new professor by the name of Mark Bailey arrived to teach at the seminary, Woodstone was already roach-filled and in a state of disrepair.

Because of the building’s proximity to the DTS-Dallas campus, Dallas Theological Seminary has attempted numerous times to buy the property.

Despite our many offers, however, the owner sold it to another buyer in May of 2014, without first talking to us. But the new buyer had a quick change of heart. He offered to sell DTS the property for a purchase price of $950,000.

We definitely wanted it, but we had not budgeted for an acquisition of this magnitude. How could DTS afford this—especially on such short notice?

Because God provides.

Within the month, while considering how we could acquire the property, DTS received notification of an estate gift, which was previously unknown to us. The amount of the bequest was slightly more than $1 million. DTS’s trustees met and decided that purchasing the Woodstone property would be an excellent use of the funds. By the end of August, the land was ours.

And the gift included enough funds to pay for demolition.

The acquisition of this land has cleared the way for a new main entrance to the Dallas campus. When the donor made her plan, she had no idea how her funds would be used. But God knew, and he provided this gift at the exact moment DTS needed it. The donor’s faithfulness played a critical role in the overall management of the seminary’s campus and its long-term plans.

Why did God create us? To glorify and enjoy him. And making a bequest—a planned gift from your estate—is a tremendous way to bring glory to God, ensuring that others will receive training to multiply disciples on the earth, even after you are gone. Gifts such as this one from “Miss Anna” are always welcome, no matter the amount. Every dollar received is important to the overall mission of DTS. Estate bequests can be used for capital expenditures such as the one in the above example, to endow a scholarship in honor or memory of someone, or simply to add to the general scholarship fund.

Location of former Woodstone apartments

STEVE GOLDING is president of Dallas Seminary Foundation. Readers can reach him by email him at sgolding@dts.edu or by calling him at 214-887-5191. Go to www. dallasseminaryfoundation.org for more information on how you can have a part in what God is doing in and through DTS.

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HENDRICKS CENTER EVENT

JENNIE ALLEN KEYNOTING DTS WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

All About Influence 2015: A Women’s Leadership Conference Speaker: Jennie Allen, author of books such as Restless, Stuck, Chase, and Anything, and the founder of IF:Gathering Date: November 16, 2015 Location: Park Cities Baptist Church Go to www.dts.edu/wlc for more information and to register.

FORTY-TWO MINUTES. TWENTY-THREE COUNTRIES. FORTY THOUSAND LIVE-STREAM LINKS. Innumerable participants. One question: “If God is real, then what?” And the IF:Gathering emerges.

Eight years ago, Jennie Allen (MABS, 2005), IF:Gathering founder, sat on her bathroom floor wrestling with God. The mother of four had never dreamed something as big as the IF:Gathering would take place. Yet it was happening. In her words, “It is a miracle.” Seeking to answer the question, “If God is real, then what?” people bought tickets for the conference, selling it out in a mere forty-two minutes. And afterward, the two-day event in Austin left participants pondering their own “if ” questions.

Prior to this, Jennie had sat in a circle of polished young women working through the first Bible study she authored, Stuck. As she gazed into their eyes, she saw that these people were unable to share the depth of pain they were enduring for fear of exposing imperfection. Jennie knew then that she would fight for women to break free.

Unaware of how the dream would become reality, she and her husband, Zac (MACE, 2005; MABS, 2005), a pastor, took a simple step. They began to pray. They dared to ask the questions, “If God is real, then what?” What does he want us to do with the extra bedroom we have? What does he want us to do with our finances? Should we sell our home?”

Surrender has come in unexpected packages. The home they prayed about selling sold. The empty room now explodes with life, inhabited by a son from Africa. Bible studies come hot off the press. IF:Gathering went viral.

In the midst of the ordered chaos, Jennie watched God “add peace when there shouldn’t be peace, abundant joy when there should be upheaval from attack, and multiplied times when the hours ran out. Thriving means trusting God with the implications of my obedience,” she says.

Join us as Jennie keynotes the All About Influence conference sponsored by the Hendricks Center. Visit www.dts.edu/wlc or call 214-887-5253 for more information, including descriptions of the ten workshops to be offered.

Want to get to know Jennie better before November? Go to www.dts.edu/jennie to view her talking about engaging hearts for Christ.

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Go and Make Disciples

Joseph Lee (ThM, 2018) Katie Rawlston (ThM, 2016) Andrew Cress (ThM, 2016) Caroline Khameneh (ThM, 2018) Jayme Hightower (ThM, 2018)

MORE THAN 2,100 DTS STUDENTS are currently training to serve as the next generation of pastors, counselors, missionaries, chaplains, aid workers, authors, and educators. They are deepening their understanding of Scripture, learning to behold the beauty of their Savior, and becoming equipped to serve his church.

When you support DTS, your contributions benefit both these future graduates and the many, many lives the Spirit will transform through their lifetimes of service.

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B O O K S & R E S O U R C E S : F R O M T H E D T S FA M I LY How to Read the Bible Like a Seminary Professor: A Practical and Entertaining Exploration of the World’s Most Famous Book (Faith Words)

MARK YARBROUGH (THM, 1996; PHD 2008) “Books at a Glance” reviewer Fred Zaspel wrote of this book, “very helpful entry-level instruction for Bible study that is both well-informed and very entertaining. Mark Yarbrough (vice president for Academic Affairs and academic dean, and a professor in Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary) likely moonlights as a comedian. He had me laughing so uproariously, while all alone in my study that my wife had to come to find out what was going on! But thankfully he does not sacrifice substance. His hilarious stories actually do illustrate the points at hand, and altogether this makes for an enjoyable and profitable read.”

Many people admire the Bible, but they don’t know how to study it. Dr. Yarbrough addresses this need by showing how easy and gratifying it is to unlock the hidden truths of God’s Word and to discover a world in which reading the Bible does more than satisfy our curiosity. It changes our lives.

Complete list of new resources from traditional publishers by members of the seminary family. (Also at dts. edu/books.) *Faculty members

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A Theology of Luke and Acts: God’s Promised Program, Realized for All Nations Dr. Darrell L. Bock (ThM, 1979)*

3-Minute Devotions for Teen Girls: 180 Encouraging Readings April Frazier (ThM, 2009)

Ephesians: A Theological Commentary for Preachers Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla (ThM 2002)*

The Pastor’s Wife: Strengthened by Grace for a Life of Love (Crossway) GLORIA FURMAN (MACE, 2007) Furman writes, “Expectations of the minister’s wife swirl all around us. The joy available to us is resplendent and everywhere.

The needs press in on us from every side. The grief and horror we experience because of our sin is appalling and replete.” Of women serving beside their husbands in pastoral ministry, she asks, “Are you burdened not only by the needs of others in your church but by your own as well? I want to show you in this book that Jesus will carry those burdens too (Isa 40:11; 41:10). No matter how old you are or however long you’ve been married or served in ministry, I think we can all humbly agree that we have a need for endurance to live kingdom-oriented lives in this dark and fallen place (Heb 10:36). The endurance we seek is no grim drudgery but a glad dependence on Jesus for a life of love strengthened by grace. That’s what I hope you find in the pages of this little book.” Go to www.dts.edu to read an excerpt.

A.D.: The Bible Continues—The Book of Acts: The incredible story of the first followers of Jesus, according to the Bible

Paul’s Theology of Preaching: The Apostle’s Challenge to the Art of Persuasion in Ancient Corinth

Dr. David Jeremiah (ThM, 1967)

Dr. Duane Litfin (ThM, 1970)

After Acts: Exploring the Lives and Legends of the Apostles

Prepare: Living Your Faith in an Increasingly Hostile Culture

Dr. Bryan Litfin (ThM, 1997)

He Will Be the Preacher: The Story of God’s Providence in My Life Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (ThM, 1967)

Dr. J. Paul Nyquist (ThM, 1981; PhD, 1984)

Malestrom: Manhood Swept into the Currents of a Changing World (Zondervan)

CAROLYN CUSTIS JAMES (MABS, 1977) Many churches have manhood and womanhood courses and conferences. And until now, the entire discussion about gender has been largely reduced to Western conceptions of gender. Consequently, evangelical thinker and author Carolyn Custis James invites readers to step away from culturally defined visions of manhood to discover God’s original vision.

Named one of Christianity Today’s “50 Women You Should Know,” James says the “malestrom” that she describes began with the fall and continues to catch humanity unaware as it attacks the identity and purpose of every man.

Going beyond insular debates over masculinity and femininity, Malestrom builds on James’s previous works on women and reveals the “fallout of the fall” as it has affected men specifically. She writes, “The malestrom poses one of the most serious historic challenges to the gospel. Is the gospel able to fill the manhood voice with an indestructible identity and calling that cover the entire cultural spectrum? This is not simply an internal church issue. We have ISIS to consider.”

Blessed Are the Balanced: A Seminarian’s Guide to Following Jesus in the Academy

Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer

Dr. Paul Pettit (ThM, 1996; DMin, 2007)*; and R. Todd Mangum (PhD, 2001)

Priscilla Shirer (MABS, 1998)

Listen In: Building Faith and Friendship through Conversations that Matter

Dr. Charles Swindoll, chancellor*

Rachael Crabb, Sonya Reeder (MACM, 1990), and Diana Calvin (MABS, 1987)

Abraham: One Nomad’s Amazing Journey of Faith

A Compact Guilde to the Whole Bible: Learning to Read Scripture’s Story Dr. Robert W. Wall (ThM, 1973; ThD, 1979) and Dr. David Nienhuis

NIV Zondervan Study Bible: Built on the Truth of Scripture and Centered on the Gospel Message (Zondervan) In this year that marks the 50th anniversary of the commissioning of the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, Zondervan has released the NIV Zondervan Study Bible. DTS New Testament Department chair Dr. Buist Fanning (ThM, 1974) wrote the notes for Hebrews. Contributing notes for Proverbs and Micah was Dr. Bruce Waltke (ThM, 1956; ThD, 1958). Dr. Todd Bolen (PhD, 2013) wrote the notes for 2 Kings; and Dr. M. Daniel Carroll R. (ThM,1980) wrote the notes for Amos.

The NIV Zondervan Study Bible is designed to help readers unpack God’s story book-bybook, collection-by-collection, and as a whole. The key approach employed by the contributing scholars is biblical theology—that is, the progressive unfolding of theological concepts throughout the BIble.

In addition to all-new study notes, the work includes book and section introductions, a library of articles on related topics, color photos, illustrations, charts, graphs, and numerous additional study helps.

Live for What Outlines You: The Amazing Story of How Pine Cove Began, by Bill McKenzie

May/June 2015 issue, he wrote “God is Bigger,” about 1 Samuel 4. The July/August issue included “A Hard Tale of Justice,” on 2 Samuel 21.

A friend of DTS founded the camp where the faculty gather for their annual workshop and where many members of the DTS family have ministered through the years. The book includes numerous anecdotes about DTS professors.

The March/April 2015 issue of Worship Leader magazine featured “Where Are the Songs of Sadness?” about lament psalms.

The article was written by DTS Bible Exposition professor Dr. Ron Allen (ThM, 1968; ThD, 1973).

DTS Old Testament department chair Robert Chisholm (ThD, 1983) is a regular contributor to Bible Study Magazine. For the

The most popular book review by a faculty member on the DTS website is a critique by New Testament professor Dr. Joe Fantin of The Lost Letters of Pergamum.

Also of interest:

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A LU M N I P R O F I L E

JOHN SADDINGTON

// MABS, 2012; MACE, 2012

Photo by Esther Havens

“Desk,” an app created by software developer John Saddington, was among those named Apple’s “Best App of 2014.” Saddington, who has 180,000 Twitter followers, said he gained his following by giving away as much free content as possible. Born in Pusan, South Korea, he writes, “I was adopted with my twin brother by two amazing people in a cozy New Jersey suburb. I have discovered the joy of being an autistic adult, despite the many challenges, living with purpose and a keen sense of my own mortality.”

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// DT S M AG A Z INE FA LL 2015

F R O M T H E C H A N C E L LO R

Ask Dr. Swindoll D R . CH AR L E S R . SWIND O LL

S

everal times a year, Dr. Swindoll preaches in chapel at DTS and engages in a question-and-answer time with prospective students. Here are some of the questions he answered recently.

Which book of the Bible is your favorite and why?

I don’t have a favorite. That’s like asking, “Which one of my kids is my favorite?” (Some days, I could pick one. . . .) The longer I live, the more I am drawn to 2 Timothy because it’s Paul’s swan song. It’s dripping with emotion, and the lines in it . . . like “come before winter,” which Paul writes to Timothy (2 Tim 4:21, KJV). And “preach the word” (4:2). It draws me, pulls on me. I don’t have a favorite verse or favorite book of the Bible. But some of them are easier to deliver—they kind of teach themselves. Second Timothy is one of them.

Are you going to write any more character books?

I just finished Abraham. I happen to be a guy who really loves biography. I learned if you can “incarnate the truth”—a line I learned from Prof Howard Hendricks—if you can put meat on the truth with a life, it’s fabulous. If you’re dealing with rebellion, look at Saul, who rebelled against Samuel’s words—a classic example of someone who did not take God seriously. If you’re dealing with lust and adultery, rather than talk about lust (1 Thess. 4:3–8), it’s better to give an illustration. I’m working on a New Testament commentary series, and that keeps me occupied. But every once in a while, my wife, Cynthia, will suggest a biography. Incidentally, the first word out of Samson’s mouth as recorded in Scripture is indicative of his life: “I have seen a woman” ( Judg 14:2, KJV). When you do a biography, it’s great to identify those lines, those moments.

Got any advice for preachers?

Let me tell you a story that Dr. Walvoord verified—so it must be true.

Years ago Harold Ockenga was the pastor of Park Street Church in Boston, and Donald Barnhouse was pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. They were good friends, so they decided to do a tour together during which they would preach nightly. One night one would go first, and the next night the other would go first.

Ockenga brought a different message every night, but Barnhouse brought the same message night after night after b-o-r-i-n-g night.

So on their last night, Ockenga—who had memorized every word of Barnhouse’s sermon—delivered his friend’s message word-perfectly—same introduction, illustrations, conclusion, everything.

When it was Barnhouse’s turn, he said nothing about it. He simply stood up to preach and brought a completely different message.

Afterward, when the lights were dimmed and they walked out together, Ockenga said, “They kind of liked your sermon I preached tonight, didn’t they?”

Barnhouse replied, “Not as much as when I preached it here two months ago.”

Keep a record of where you speak and what you said. And find out what the person speaking before you is going to talk about.

What has God been showing you lately?

To finish strong. I’ve thought about that a lot. I’m eighty. Most people in my seminary class have either retired or died. I don’t want to retire. I don’t play golf—the holes are too little. And I think I’d drive my wife nuts with all the energy I have. I plan to “go after it” until I can’t do it well.

So I’ve asked myself, “How do you finish well?” When I turned 80, I gave our elders a list of things I plan to go after hard in my life.

And I told them to hold me accountable so I don’t get off course.

I said, “If you ever sense it’s beginning to slip, tell me . . . so I don’t embarrass the church. I think my wife will beat them to it, but I’ve got a group a guys who are really honest—and loving. Moses finished at 120. I’d like to stay at this long enough to really say it was a lifetime of ministry.

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I just finished Abraham.

I happen to be a guy who really loves biography.

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DT S .E DU /M AG A Z I N E DA LLA S TH E OLOG I CA L S E M I N ARY //

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Inspired by frescoes that illustrate the Apostles’ Creed in the cathedral baptistery in Siena, Italy, ThM student Jason Custer created a series of minimalist posters. This one illustrates, “On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven. . . . ” Yellow is the color of divinity and represents heaven. On the right is the empty tomb. Jesus is pulling Adam and Eve—symbolic of all the living and the dead—out of their graves. Drawing on “The Harrowing of Hell” images, the artist depicts the first man and woman as unable even to cling to Jesus. Their rescue depends entirely on him.